138 TAMING HORSES. 



HOW TO SADDLE A COLT. 



Any one man who understands this theory can 

 put a saddle on the wildest colt that ever grew, 

 without any help, and without scaring him. The 

 first thing will be to tie each stirrup-strap into a 

 loose knot to make them short, and prevent the 

 stirrups from flying about and hitting him. Then 

 double up the skirts, and take the saddle under 

 your right arm, so as not to frighten him with it 

 as you approach. When you get to him, rub him 

 gently a few times with your hand, and then raise 

 the saddle very slowly, until he can see it, and 

 smell it, and feel it Avith his nose. Then let the 

 skirt loose, and rub it very gently against his neck 

 the way the hair lies, letting him hear the rattle 

 of the skirts as he feels them against him — each 

 time getting a little farther backward, and finally 

 slip it over his shoulders on his back. Shake it a 

 little with your hand, and in less than five minutes 

 you can rattle it about over his back as much as 

 you please, and pull it off and throw it on again, 

 without his paying much attention to it. 



As soon as you have accustomed him to the sad- 



